Archer, Jeffrey - The Prodigal Daughter by Archer Jeffrey

Author:Archer, Jeffrey [Archer, Jeffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Romance, Sagas, Children of immigrants, Children of immigrants - United States, Westerns, Businesswomen
ISBN: 9780312997144
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Published: 1982-04-29T16:47:39+00:00

24

RICHARD HAD NEVER HEARD OF MAJOR ABANJo before that morning. Neither had anyone else in America other than those who took an overzealous interest in the affairs of Nambawe, Central Africa’s smallest state. Nevertheless, it was Major Abanjo who caused Richard to run late for his most important appointment that day, the eleventh birthday of his only son.

When Richard arrived back at the apartment on Sixty-fourth Street, Major Abanjo was driven from his mind by Annabel, who had a few minutes earlier poured a pot of tea over William’s hand because she wasn’t receiving enough attention. She hadn’t realized that it was boiling hot. It seemed that Carol had been in the kitchen fussing over the birthday cake at the time. Annabel was getting even less attention now that William was screaming at the top of his voice, and ail the other children had to be sent home. A few minutes later Annabel was also screaming, after Richard had placed her across his knee and administered six hard whacks with his slipper before both children were put to bed-William with two aspirins and an ice bag to help him sleep and Annabel as a further punishment.

Eleven candies-and one to grow on-had burned themselves down to the icing on the large cake that remained untouched on the dining room table.

“I’m afraid William will have a scar on his fight hand for the rest of his life,” said Florentyna after she had checked to see that her son was at last asleep.

“Still, he took it like a man.”

“Idon’t agree,” said Florentyna. “He neveronce grumbled.”

“it probably wouldn’t have happened if I had been on time,” said Richard, ignoring her comment. “Damn Major Abanjo.”

“Who is Major Abanjo?” asked Florentyna.

226

The Present: 1968-1982 227

“A young army officer who was behind the coup in Nambawe today. “

“Why should a little African state stop you from being on time for William’s birthday party?”

“That little African state has an outstanding five-year loan agreement of three hundred million dollars that Lester’s led on in 1966 and the repayment is due in three months.”

“We are in for three hundred million dollars?” said Florentyna, flabbergasted.

“No, no,” said Richard. “We covered the first fifteen percent of the loan, and the remaining two hundred and fifty million was divided among thirty-seven other financial institutions.”

“Can we survive a loss of forty-five million dollars?”

“Yes we can, as long as the Baron Group remains our friends,” said Richard, smiling at his wife. “It’s three years’ profits down the drain, not to mention a severe blow to our reputation with the other thirty-seven banks and the inevitable drop in our stock price tomorrow.”

Lester’s stock dropped the next day by more than Richard had anticipated, for two reasons. The newly self-appointed President of Nambawe, Major Abanjo, announced that he had no intention of honoring previous government commitments made with any “Fascist regime” including America, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Richard wondered how many Russian bankers were boarding planes to Central Africa at that moment.

The second reason became apparent when

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